Chapter 4 Flashcards
interest articulation
People and social groups have some way to express their needs and demands to their government in almost every political system.
Examples of interest articulation
voting/participating in elections
informal group
direct contact on a personal matter
direct contact on a policy issue
protest activity
political consumerism -buying or boycotting a product for political reason
types of interest groups
Anomic Groups, non-associational, associational, institutional
anomic
Anomic groups are groups that suddenly form when many individuals react to an event that stimulates frustration, disappointment, or other strong emotions. They are flash affairs, rising and subsiding suddenly. Without previous organization or planning.
ex: legitimate and illegitimate channels of access
LULAC fought for the integration of Mexican children in schools.
Riots springing up after the death of George Floyd
Non-associational groups
non-associational groups are based on common interests and identities of ethnicity, region, religion, occupation, or perhaps kin-ship. Because of these ties, non-associational groups have more continuity than anomic groups. But non-associational groups rarely are well organized, and their activity is episodic.
ex: legitimate and illegitimate channels of access
Writers’ Guild of America going on strike
Baltimore Railroad strike leading to violence
collective action problem
No one makes the effort to organize other members because the individual costs outweigh the individual benefits. If large collective benefits—for example, ending discriminatory legislation or cleaning up water pollution—are achieved, they are shared even by those who did not work, the so-called “free riders.” people waiting for the rewards with-out sharing the cost or risk of action.
institutional groups
Institutional groups are based in formal organizations that have other political or social functions in addition to interest articulation. Business corporations, political parties, legislatures, armies, bureaucracies, and churches often have separate political groups with special responsibility for representing a group’s interests.
associational group
Associational groups are formed explicitly to represent the interests of a particular group, such as trade unions, chambers of commerce, manufacturers’ associations, and ethnic associations. These organizations have procedures for formulating interests and demands, and they usually employ a full-time professional staff. These groups are often very active in representing their members’ interests in the policy process.
ex: legitimate and illegitimate channels of access
AARP used the politicians to get the FDA to regulate over the counter hearing aids.
Terrorist Attacks on the Twin Towers by Al-Qaeda
civil society
a society in which people are involved in social and political interactions free of state control or regulation. Community groups, voluntary associations, and even religious groups—as well as access to free communication and information through the mass media and the Internet—are important parts of a civil society.
interest group systems
pluralist, democratic corporatists, controlled
Pluralist Interest Group Systems
-Multiple groups may represent a single societal interest.
Group membership is voluntary and limited. Groups often have a loose or decentralized organizational structure.
There is a clear separation between interest groups and the government.
Democratic Corporatist Interest Group Systems
Democratic corporatist interest group systems are characterized by a much more organized representa-tion of interests:
A single peak association normally represents each societal interest.
■ Membership in the peak association is often compulsory and nearly universal.
■ Peak associations are centrally organized and direct the actions of their members.
■ Groups are often systematically involved in making and implementing policy.
Controlled Interest group
There is a single group for each social sector.
■ Membership is often compulsory.
■ Each group is normally hierarchically organized. ■ Groups are controlled by the government or its agents in order to mobilize support for government policy
channels of political access
legitimate and illegitimate
legitimate examples: For instance, personal con-nections are an important means of reaching political elites in all societies—the use of family, school, local, or other social ties. The mass media and the Internet can mobilize support for interest group efforts Mass media
coercive access channels and tactics:
riots, strikes, political terror tactics, assassinations, armed attacks on government officials, and mass bloodshed.
How do the different forms of citizen action vary in their potential influence on policymakers?
Voting is the most conventional manner of expressing interest and it has pressure in electing officials but little pressure on policy changes. Informal groups have high potential of influence on policy makers as they focus on a common need and are policy based. Direct Contact for personal issues have little effect on law creators as they are specific and particular to one person but direct contact for policy matters have more pressure on the politicians. Other forms of action can include protests as they display advocacy towards a specific issue which heavily influences the higher ups. Buying or boycotting items is another form of heavy pressure towards the elites as it influences the economy.
